The disintegrating blouse!

glasker

Help

I bought an expensive blouse from an online retailer (also has a high street presence) and wore it for the first time last week (for the fabric-minded out there it's polyester and has the appearance of thick chiffon ).

Anyway wore it once for a few hours under a little cardi, got home and found one seam has totally disintegrated, as in the fabric has frayed out from behind the stitching and there is now a great big hole in it. I didn't launder it (eww I know) but took it into one of the branches with my receipt to ask for an exchange/refund/repair. I'd have preferred a refund given the apparent delicacy of the fabric but it is a lovely blouse...

I wasn't prepared for the shop assistant telling me that because I'd had it maybe 8 weeks I'd obviously worn it more than once and the seam will have broken under stress as it must be tight on me!! I offered to try it on so she could see I wasn't poured into it but she was having none of it. She basically told me to toddle off as it was my own fault.

Any ideas what to do if the shop says it's my fault? I'd expect a blouse to last more than one outing, even with this fragile fabric.

KeithP

I would be writing them a letter reminding them that for the first six months it for them to prove that the product wasn't faulty at the time of purchase.

Google Sale of Goods Act for greater detail.

An interesting quote from Which website...

If your claim is about a problem that arises within six months of buying the product, it's up to the retailer to prove that the goods were fit for purpose – or 'as described' – when it sold them. It is also responsible for proving that the problem was caused by you (for example, because you had an accident with the item that damaged it).

gemstars

It doesn't sound like it was stiched properly, sounds liek there wasn't enough of an overlap of fabric at the seam. This is a problem with cheap shops like Primark but more expensive retailers should know better. Where is it from?